When you are responsible for a baby it is important that you go through an extensive home safety childproofing checklist in order to make sure that you have protected everything in your home, even things you may not have otherwise realized are dangerous. Most accidents are avoidable if the time and effort is taken ahead of time to thoroughly childproof the house.

Many accidents are preventable and many others can have injuries reduced by placing safety devices and acting in a safe manner while your baby is in your home, car, office and other places the baby visits.

Before the baby is born and brought into the home, future parents should have already started the process of childproofing the home. The home childproofing list points out many of the steps you need to take in order for your home to be safe for a baby. The fact is babies spend a majority of their time in the home and therefore most accidents happen in the home. Effort to prevent accidents from occurring and to reduce the injuries to a child when something does happen is well worth it for keeping your baby safe. Sadly, babies of seemingly loving parents are injured for life or die when an accident happens. Most of these accidents are preventable. The first step to surrounding your apartment, condo or house in a newborn, infant, baby and toddler safe environment is to childproof your home. Keep in mind that it is every room in the house that should be free of dangers to babies and young children. Having unsafe spots in the home creates opportunities for the baby to wander into that unsafe situation. Reading about safety concepts and safety products is important because there are lots of unsafe things around that adults just do not consider unsafe unless we really think about it or someone points it out to us. Going thoroughly through each room and following a safety checklist can help you avoid overlooking a potentially dangerous, but easily fixable situation.

[emphasisbold2]When a baby is not yet mobile, it is relatively easier to keep your child safe as the child stays put in one spot. That time goes by fast and before you know it your baby will be pulling up to a standing position. Cruising, crawling, walking and climbing are not far behind and your childproofing efforts will be tested so be ready. Have the baby safety gadgets in place and meticulously take all the proper safety measures to help improve your child’s chances of avoiding bumps, bruisers and more serious injuries.[/emphasisbold2]

[inset side=”left” title=”Childproofing”]You will need to buy some home safety products which will help keep the baby safe. Protect your child from dangers like electrical outlets, wires, sharp corners and unsteady furniture and electronics with the appropriate safety products. Children under the age of 6 can easily injure or kill themselves by things around them and you can only begin to imagine how difficult it must be for a parent to have to think about the simple things they could have done differently to protect their child and they failed to do them.[/inset]

Children under 6 – and older than 6 – can get hurt or killed by putting themselves in danger and therefore you must supervise, protect and create a safe environment. There are many things you can do to be proactive in childproofing your home, car and yard. In baby’s nursery safety needs to be a priority because your boy or girl will spend a lot of time in there. Good parents take the time and effort to provide safe surroundings for their child and are constantly teaching their children about the world they live in and how to stay safe. Look around everywhere you go and there are potentially dangerous situations for a baby, toddler or young child, and it is important that you focus on avoiding and preventing accidents and keeping your child safe everywhere.Surroundings that can be dangerous for a baby include your motor vehicles, bathtubs, pool, toilet, pets, electrical outlets/cords/surge protectors, electronics, chemicals, cleaning supplies, buckets, knives, kitchen appliances, furniture, stairs, balconies and more. Many experts suggest that the key to understanding childproofing your home is to consider this scenario. If the person responsible for watching your son or daughter while you were out of the house fell asleep for a couple hours, that when you returned home your baby would be unhurt.

If you and your baby are spending time at a relative’s house or a friend’s house, consider having them baby proof their home and remove any potentially dangerous situations before you arrive.

If you have pets then you will have additional responsibilities in keeping your baby safe at home. Baby safety includes preventing dog attacks by better understanding the potential problems that can happen when a new baby enters the home of the pet.

Before Baby Comes Home for the First Time Home Safety Childproofing

Put emergency phone numbers by all of the home phones including emergency services like police, fire, rescue, poison control and your pediatrician. Add these important number into your smart phone. If you do not have a home phone, consider getting one that at least can dial 911 in case of an emergency as emergency 911 dispatch can more quickly know your address than with a cell phone.

Fire safety is the first thing you should think about when childproofing your home before baby arrives. Plan ahead of time an evacuation route and an alternative evacuation route out of your home to safety if an emergency situation arises. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors must be installed throughout the house. Carbon monoxide detectors are needed if your houses uses gas or oil for heat, and batteries should be checked at least twice per year. Smoke detectors should be checked monthly to make sure they are working and batteries should be replaced before they run out of power. Fire extinguishers should be kept in a spot that is known to all adults in the house and is close to the kitchen where fires are most likely to occur. Purchase a fire extinguisher and place it in an accessible spot that is out of the reach of children; read the instructions so you know how to properly use it ahead of time in case of an emergency.

Remove dangerous plants for children from your home, garden and yard.

A first aid kit designed for babies should be something you put together before your baby arrives.

Night lights should use bulbs that do not get hot and night lights in general should be kept away from beds and curtains.

Poison prevention steps need to be taken before baby is brought home from the hospital. All poisons need to be placed out of reach inside cabinets that have childproof locks. Additionally, all cabinets that have glass, knives and heavy items need to be latched with childproof locks.

Attach furniture padding and furniture bumpers to all furniture edges and you will be happy you did this the first time your baby bumps into a sharp edge that has the padding which prevented him or her from getting hurt. Non-slip pads under rugs can help prevent slips and falls.

Adjust your water temperature controls to less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit which is 48 degrees Celsius.

Home childproofing safety begins before baby comes home from the hospital for the first time so if you have not already begun prepping your house to turn it into a safe and loving home get started.

Learn Pediatric First Aid, CPR and how to use an AED. CPR certification classes are run by the local Red Cross and other organizations and can be found with a simple Google search. Classes which give you hands on practice can make you better prepared in case of an emergency.